Spacing mechanism



Jan. 13, 1931. J. A. MOORE SPACING MECHANISM e Sheets-Sheet 1 Fil ed June 15 1927 Jap. 13, 1931. J MQOREI SPACING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15 1927 x mm :2 Nw

Jan. 13, 1931. .1. A. MOORE 1,789,151

SPACING MECHANISM Filed June 15, 1927 .6 Sheets-Sheet 3* I N Yb INVENTOR 9A KM Km w Jan. 13, 1931. J. A. MOORE 1,789,151

SPACING MECHANISM Filed June 15 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Jan. 13, 1931'. J. A. MOORE 1,789,151

SPACING MECHANISM Filed June 15 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 a n-WM 1931. J. A. MOORE SPACINCT MECHANISM Filed June 15 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Jan. 13, 1931 7 Mar sa. ivioen a-er'gnooirnsrjnn, rEnnsYLvANI -A 'SPACING'MECIiANISM Application filed June 15,

The present inventionjr'elates to a spacing mechanism and more particularly to a mechanism adapted for accurately spacing iron and steel shapes and thelike for'pu-nching or stamping. I I i I provide a mechanism embodying accurate and positive stop means enabling duplicate pieces to be punched or stamped with great accuracy I further provide a spacing niech anism capable of being quickly adjusted from one character of spacing to another, and also from one charac'terof material to another.

I My spacing :nfiec'hanism is particularly adapted for spacing' relatively light struc .tural shapes or strips to enable a single op-. 'erator to manipulate arpunching or stamping press and quickly and accurately punch or stamp duplicate. pieces.

In the drawings: to 1 I I I Figure l is a side elevation-f a spacing-- machine embodying myinV'ent-i'om' I Figure 2 is an enlarged side 'eleVa-tionof the I carriage of the machine shown in 'Figure"1;"

1 Figure Sis atop shown in Figure'2;

' Figure t is a diagrammatic perspective view of the gag and the various elementsoperatingon the gag; I I

plan iew ofthe-carriage v Figure 5xisa sectional View showingthfe carriage in-end elevation;

Figure 6 is a backelevation of a inach'ine;

- Figure 7 illustrates the linkage emis e ed d adjust the roll supporting stands; s Figure 8 is an end-elevation'ofthe' linkage shown in Figure 7, the control members be, ing' in cr'oss'-se'ction' II F i t Figure 9 illustrates the adjusting mecha nism'forf varying the height :of the support: ingrolls; a v j I Figure 10 diagrammatically shows w ep I erating connection between the punch and the spacing'mechanisn I I I I I Figure" '11 shows thejpreferre'd operating 7 can! and rollerfor the connection illustrated in Figure 10; v I 1 Figure 12 is a'top plan View of the pre-. ferred form ofstop; I

Figure 13 is a back elevation of thestop shown in Figure'12;, 1

1-927. serial ieaoaef Figure 14 is a sectional View showing the stop in engagementwith the rack bar f F-igure :15 is a detail ofthedogs'employed I in the gag locking mechanism;

[Figure 16 is a side; elevation of the :dog' 5' shown in Figure .15;

F'gure 17 is a sectionalt iew gripper jaw operating mechanism- ;f and v Figure 18 illustratesthe preferred cam forfoperating the gripper'jaw Qco'fitrela l ng' mchanisma Referring to the 'illustratedgienibodiinent there is'fshown inFigurelfa spacing mechav nisin comprising a carriage indicatedrge'nerally by the niuneral 2, The carriage 2 is inovable alon'ga horizontal track 3, ,.supported by standards 4:, only onejof which shows fin the I 1 drawing A number ofsuppoftingstandards 5 are spaced along and beneath the track 3,

rolls .6 thestanda r'ds 5 beingheld at asuit able height for supporting material] to be spaced.

I In the op'erationbf the mach -ine, astrip of material? supported at a suitable height by theurolls 6, ishmoved along the .trackijii clainpe'd'iirthe carriage Theacarriage 2 is positively stopped'at desired points along ter the stamping or punching operation has ahead for another predetermined The automatic unlocking of the carriage '1s' scribed lni'orestully hereinafter.

Referring to Figure 2 there lg'siie n I carriage comprising a 'frainei8, having supthe track 3' while a punching or stampingoperation isperforrned on the strips 7. r

beenvcoinplete d, the carriage is free to inoiie T porting rollers 9 and 10 thereon- ."Supportedby the frarne 8-is ajaw supportingmember 11 which is spaced,outwardlyirorn the frame by brackets 12; A .jalw l 3ris secured to the outerendlof the ineinber ll so that 1 material toybeoperated upon is held at point I spaced from the carriage and- -'c0n's:e-:- I quently from the track ,rllhisxperniits the I suppoftingrolls 6' (Figure tobaa-dranwea e iseased; ther?. m ees it i the track 3. Mounted directly above the jaw 13 is a movable jaw 14Vhaving an adjustable set screw 15 mounted therein for cooperation with the strip to be gripped. The jaw 14 is disposed at the end of'a lever 16, pivotally supported by the member 11. The member 16' is normally urged in such direction that the jaws 13 and 14 are spread apart by a spring 17 coiled around a guide rod 18, abutting the shank of the aw 13. The jaws are closed by a member 19 operating between the chamfered end 20 0f the 'normall retracted f'rointhe ooenin be- .7 J. I v D tween-the lever 16 andthe cam surface 21 by a spring -23 connected to a stirrup 24'engaging apin .25 by which the. links 22 are connected to "the: operating member 19. When the member 19 is retracted, as" shown in Figure 2, the spring, 17 holds the jaws 13 and 14 apart for the ready insertion of material to be spaced." 1 I T he links 22'are pivoted upon a bracket 26 extending from the frame 8. intermediatethe pivot point andthe pin25,'the links 22areengaged by a pin 27 fixejdin a bar 28 which extendsbetween thelinks 22 and is supported by abracket 29 secured to the frame 8 and extending through a slot 30' in the'b ar 28.. Thelinks 22'are normally held in contact with the pin 27 by the spring23.

, Movement or the bar28," causing forward movement of the'member 19, and "closing of the jaws, is .efiected by a cam block 31, hav-' ing a generally cylindrical shape: (Figure l8)fwith cam surfaces cut on. both ends thereof. Thefc'am surfaces cooperate with cam followers 32 and .33, the followers being fastened into a block 34 in which the v bar 28 terminates. The followers 33 are 38, housed within the'cyli'nder 36. The

fitted .into, a cylindrical barrel'l '35 'slidably mounted in a supporting cylinder 36. The, cylinder 36 is fastened to the frame 8 of the carriage by a supporting bar extending from" the frame. [When the cam block 31 is rotatedby a handle 37, the cam followers 32 and 33 are moved apart so that the pin 27 must move away from their position, or the cam block mustmove bodily to the'left, as viewed'in Figure 2. Movement of. the cam block toward the left is resisted by a spring springfl38 operates"againstthe'end of the barrel 35, the compression'of the spring be-,

ingadjusted by a threaded bushing 39"abut- 7 3 against a fitting 40 f m the end of. the spring 38. Slidably disposed within the bushing 39 is a threaded rod 41 which is'attached to the barrel 35 at the one end and has a nut 42 bearing against the threaded bushing 39. at the other end. By

adjusting the nut 42 the spring 38 may be placed underany desired init al compression. The position of the bushing 39, with respectto the cylinder 36,. determines the normal position ofthe-barrel 35 with respect to the cylinder. When the cam block 31 is rotated, the bar 2 8.is moved forwardly until the member 19 has been thrust into the and the cam surface 21 an amount sufficient to close'the jaws upon the material to be grip ed; whe-nthe jaws become stationary, furt er'movementof the cam block 31 forces the barrel35 into the cylinder 36 compressing the; spring 38, thus the jaws securely grip the material even though repeated shocks of thepunching' or stamping machine upon the materialv should "causeslight deformation ofthe material at the jaws. I The barrel 35 ismaintained'from rotation, when the cam block 31 is rotated, by means of a pin 43operating in a sl'ot4'4-ii1 the cylinder 36. 1'Rotation of the bar 28 is preiventcd by reason of thebracket29 eXtending through the slot 30 in the bar 28;,

"Th'e'bla r 28 is guide dby thebracket 29 extending into the slot/30 and also by a'r'od 45 threaded into the block'34and extending through the cam-blockSl-into the barrel 35. The rod 45 serves asa bearing for the cam block 31. V 1 Q As shown in Figure 18, the cam block 31 is preferably p1rovided"with cam surfaces on t ere being two cam surfaces on both ends, each end. Provision of cams'urfaces onboth ends of the block 31 p ermits considerable travel'of the cam followers in'a 90 rotation ofthe cam block. The ends of the block31 wedge shaped opening between the lever 16 I have 'flat portions 46'intermediate the cam surfaces upon which the camfollow ers rest when the jaws are in vclosed position. ,The,

cam action is, therefore, non-reversable and a. v

simple downward movement of the handle 3? effectively locks the jaws in closed posi' tion, the spring 38 being effective for maintaining a tight grip in case the set screw 15 worksrleeper into the,materi'al under the shocks of repeated movement of the material.

The construction just described, withthe cam block 31.-in'line with thespring 38,;pro-

of thecam' block increases ;the effective length ofthe separating cam31'sothat links :22

vides a compact structure in'which rotation must'move away from'fthe spring 38-and further compression'of the spring will result. The spring 38. is preloaded so that thelmotion imparted by the cam block simply operates to transfer the spring load to the j aws; the motion 'of-the cam block doesnot in it.- self determine the biasing: "of thespring.

' .msssrsi After the material has been: fi fied: be"; tween the jaw I3 and the set scr ew l5 by a downward movement" of the handle 87 the carriage is moved along the track inthe reot ion of the arrow" A in Figue' 1'; :Thelcar riageis movable freely along the track 3 in! bothsdireotions as long-as a; gag- (Figure 3-) is disengagedfrom stops-48whieh are set in the bed of the framework supporting the; track 3, as shown in Figure: 5; The stops 48 '(Figure' 12) are provided with teeth 49 along one "side thereof-, the teeth being adapted to engage a rack bar 50 which 6X-- tendsthe' length ofthe track 3. The teeth 19 may be of any desired pitch, depending I upon thespa'cing whichis required, ordinarily' an even dlvislon of an lneh will be used, say one-eighth inch. The stop 48 is provided'with a hinged armel which has a setscrew 52 extending completely through it and engaging thebody portion of the stop.

The arm 51 is hinged'at the bottom of the stop 1 upon a pin'53, the'arm being disposedin a:

.channel out in the block so that when the set screw 52' is retracted the arm lies wholly withinjthe body'lof'the stop; The stop'lnay then beinsertediina channeletformed beef f tween the rack bar. and a back'plate 55.; Vith the stop so inserted-(Figure 14') theset" screw 52 is turned up and the. teeth 49 are ,ior'ced snugly into the teeth-on the rack bar, insuring an accurate-positioning of the stop. The lea'ding face: 56 of the stopiis' th'e'face ing the ,spacinginterval.

which d'etermines the position'of theoarriagei- The gag 47. engages the face -56 111* determin-' The-gag 47 is slidable transversely' of the i carriage, being. guided between guide blocks. 57 and58, a cover plate 59 being placed over --thegag achaeent' the stop engaging end. As

shown in Figure 4, the' stop engaging'end .60

i offthe gagis provided with a'knock-outrod' 6I-Le tending axially of thegagl l The rod- 61 is adaptedto'be engaged by, atripperjbar '62*(-Figures-3 and-5) whereby the gag may be moved' out of engagement with the" stops, v compressing a' spring '63? coiled abouta rod f. 64:"pivotallyg'connected to'the opposite end:

of the gag fromthe lmockout'rod: 6i. The

the in the guide blocks so that the suiiiciently to clear theengaging faces.

chamferd 611d of t g g Passes the so that the lo'okingpin will not engagev the stud duringthe-:nor-mal operationof the fered vface of the stop immediately upon the tripper bar 62 pushing-the gag back spring coiled about 'the rod 65, normally 1 urges the gagto the left, as viewed in- Figure 3. .Th-e-rod 65 and spring Seam-disposed; within acylindriealopning inthe bed-'-oi;'- the,

tiv'ely retained: in the guide bloeks, .b at is:l nor- .straight por tions.

1 gag out ofi Lengagement with i (iarriage, screw plug; 67 being effiectiye; for

compressing: hhBSP IilIIgWGGL 1 n will thusbeseengtha-t n1, agag isnotpOsi-J mallyurgedrintoz engagement/With: the stops by? the sprin'gf6'3' and: is normally urged to an angularipositiom byth-e spring 66. It will be. noted thatthe-gnide blocks have straight pertion's '68and 69 and angular; faces 7 0 and 71.

Theigag, Lbeing" rotatable: slightly about an axis, substantially" intermediatex' the line's" formed by the: int'ers'eetionjo'f the faces: and

eanriagemay beimoved from stop-to stop sue eessiyely along: the track 3' by operating a tii ppeibmrf' 62 to disengage the: gag from the stop. When:- the gag. is disengaged fromthe With the mechanism just deseribed the stop, the carriage ismo'vedbyitheoperator,

ushing on". the material: held in the: jaws of the carriage.- The trippe'r bar 62iszsupport-' ed 0n braokets7l2 which are mounted .on an operating. shaft .73. The shaft. .73 is sup ported in bearing blooks 74 mounted on the track supporting." StrllCtllTB. The shaftfl'fi (Figure 10). is provided with-an arm 14;,11EW- ing a cam surface 75 (Figure 11") thereon.

Theo/am surface 75'- is engagedlbya roller 76 supported on: a bracket :7 'Z connected to a:

;.punch 7'8Toperating on the; material 7-. It will: beiseen 7 from the drawings that eachoperation of the'punclrwill-resu1t in the roll- 73 is rotated and. the tripper bar knocks the any stop with which itinaybeengaged: if

. If" the gag". "were permitted to extend. into engafzging. ;-re-lationship*with the stops, asshown in Figures- 3 and 5*,at all times, it would be inconvenient, if not impossible; to movev the-carriage toward lthe" right, as viewed in Figure 3-,: because the: gag would r interfere with the stops;

ableiwhen move'd to the right, as'shownin er 7 6 operatingsthe ,arnizi7 4. whereby the shaft v In ord'er t'o obviate such a condit10nand make theearriage freely slidv I Figures 11; andgg' I provide: ai-l'o'eking mechanism whereby? thesgagnisheld out of any:

efteetivei-'operating travel, This is accompossibleengagement withthe'stopsafter'the carriage has been"move'd. to the end :ofits plished. by: means'of a stud "79 "protruding 3 from th e top of the gag: 47. The stud 79 is -ad'a p ted to' be engaged by a locking: pin. 80

which is-m'ounted in afslide bar 81 movable transversely above the gag .i n guides 82 which are secured tothe carriage. The'stu'd79is" offset slightly from'themidlineofthe gag {i7 machine in the direction of the arroWQA, in.

extreme; rig-ht position, -as shown in Figure 3.

The stud and looking; pinare both, chain is whieh easethe slidebar 81 is moved to the r 7 pin downbehind the' studi79 and holds the gag so that the spring-368 :will not force it back into a stop-engaging position. After,

' hand position..= =At-the extreme right-hand withgthe stud, the stud will raise thelockingpin and pass beneath it,oafter-whicha spring 83 wound .around'the locking-spin snaps the the carriage has been returned to theextreme right position, and a new strip of "material:

is to be operated-upon, the slide bar" 81 is moved to the right,'asshown li'nFigure 3.v

Reciprocation of the'slid'e bar 81 is effected by a crank 84 (Figure-4), mountedon a shaft 85 which is rotated by dogs. 86 and 87 The bar 81 ismaintainedyin its extremeright or left hand position by a spring 88 operating on a slide rod 89 which is mounted in a block 90, the block 90 being pivotally supported by a bracket 91 fastened tothe frame 8. The slide rod ,89 and the crank 84;ha've-a common pin 92Connecting them, the pin 92 being op-.

erableina vertical slot 93 in the slide bar 81..

' In'orderto movethe slide bar 81 from one extreme position to another, I provide trippers 94 which are secured to stops at the BX- treme endsof thetravel of the: carriage (lur- 1ng its effective operation. The trippers operatetto throw the dogs 86:and .87, wherebythecslideb'ar .81 is moved. 5 When the car riage has reached its extreme left hand position, as viewed in Figure; 3,;the tripper op-1 erates uponthe dog 87 to turn-thecrank 84v so that the slide bar 81 is moved to its; eX-' treme left handi'position. ln this position: the locking pin 80 coincides with the line i of travelrofthe stud 7 9 and when the tripper bar 62 has moved the gagout of engagement with the stop to whichithe tripper 94 is attached, the lockingjpin' 80 rides over the stud 79- and locks the gag out of stop -1 engaging position so that the "carriage may be freely moved along the track ,to its right of the carriage travel another tripper will then operate upon the 'dog 86 to throw the ing through the member a 98' prevents the member from being. moved to the left (Figure 15) without moving the body block and the shaft 85; movement to' the right is permitted, however, byreason ofthere': being no-por'tion of the body-block extending into engaging position with the pin99, Thus the dogsride freely over th'etrippers in one di 17 rection' but 'ar'e eifective for rotating the f shaft 85 when engaged in the oppositedirection." Thisi's true of both dogs.

, The'material :7 is supported byrolls .6 which are adjustableto Various heights in theroll supporting standards 5.: The standa-rds 5 are provided;with bearing slotslOO into which" the shafts of the rolls may be readily slipped, the particular bearing slot, 7

employed being dependent upon the thickness and shape of the material -7. Y I

:In order to support the material 7- in true alignment with the dies which operate upon thematerial', it is necessary that the 'rolls 0 be adjustable vertically in small increments. Iprovide-such vertical adjustment byvpivotingv the standards5 about a point 101 lying in the midline of the standards. The stand ardsareniaintained in a desired position by links 102which are pivoted to thestand: ardsf-5 at points equally spaced from, the pivotpoint 101, thelinks 102 having 'their" other ends connectedlto bell cranks 103which arewadjusjt'able to vary the angular-'position of the'standardsd Thebell cranks 103'have their lower ends (Figure 7 connected tosimultaneously adjusted by movement of the V Iprefer 0 moveall of the bell{ bell cranks.

cranks by-connectingj the midpoints of all of thelinks 104 with: control members-1051 There are two control members disposed with i the links104 intermediate,- a pin" 1061being spaced at-fthe midpoint of the links 104 and extending through the membersl05 in all 7 cases. Such anarrangement permitstheroll supporting standards to be set up at any i 4 desired intervals and readily connected 'to the common control-members.*The standards' 5 are supported by 'basemembers 107 l which form-apart of the supporting stand'- ards '4, 'which support. the trackkfiupon 1 which'the carriage 2 is movable. The con trol members'105, connecting alllofthelinks 104, are connected together 1' at 11 a trunnion block 108, havingftrunnions 10,9 to -;which the members are attached. -A bo1t pass-j *ing through the trunnion block-109 is effective for moving th'egblock 109; and thereby adjusting the singularity of all of-the stand;-' ards 5. The'bolt 110 hasahead111 abutting the, trunnion block on one side while a capstan head 112, pinned to; the bolt 110, abuts the trunnion block "on theother side. Rotation of the'capstan head threadsfthe bolt 110v i into and out of -a threaded block 112 bolted to a base portion 114, extending from the end standard 4; In setting'up the spacing machine, rolls 6' areselected which will best support the particular material 7 to be operated upon. ,flThe rolls6 are placed inithe standards 5 in the bearing slots 100 which result in the material 7 being supported at anelevatioii slightlylabove thedesired posil v tion. The capstan-head 112'is then :rotated, adjusting the angularity o fall of'the stand.-

ardso, thereby bringing the rolls ilt slightly, lower elevation thanobtains when the standards are perpendicular, 'AQver-y fine adjustment can thus be made insuring that thematerial 7 rests evenly upon the dies operating upon it;

' '7; While I prefer, to ,adjust th rolls in i-the linkages and height ad'j-usting means may be manner above described, due to evident conni nce, simp icity toner ion an ac uracy, it will be understood that various other employed inorder to bring all of the rolls i the rack bar will coincide.

of the stop takes advantage of thefull'length into the same plane andinthe'desiredrelai ns ip ith the dies .op.e ating np n'the material? The; channel at to -me et een the rack bar and the back plate 5.5.18 preferably of such depth that thestop i8 will be supported thereinqata height at-whieh the tops of the teeth t9u-onthe stop andtops of the-teeth on Such a position stood that other pitches may bewempmyed, depending upon whether the spacing is metric or in feetand inches. The faces 56 of the stops may be ground down, as indi catedlby .thechain line F in liigure 12, to atford spacing at jodd intervals not divisible evenlyinto the tooth. pitch; :1 prefer that the t eeth49 onthe stops :be ground .ofi slightly along the otherwise sharp edges to insure ample relief so that when the arm 5Iis forced against the back strip '55vby the set screw 52 1- the teeth on the rack' 50 will engage the teeth I 419' to the fullest extent without interference;

United States standard teeth hate given good results in practice;

bar and the stops. 1

It w n he noted that the aria-5i s a ti Q away slightly at the top, at thefportion which would normally coincide with theeback plate (Figure $14) This provision insures more than mere line-contact between the, arm 51 and the backplate 55'; contact is eflected '4 in a region substantially half. way between the top and bottom of the rack bar, insuring an'even contact between theteeth of the rack The track 3 andrack 'barhoarepreferably both secured to'the same ;memb er to insure proper working cooperation between the gag and the stops. llhis member 115 is conveniently the shape ot a structural angle since this term provides -a strong rigid flame which may bereadily attachedto thesupthe shaft 73, the back platei55, and a spacing member 116,'forming the bottom of; a channel 54, into whichthe stops as arein erted e all secured to a ang -1l7,, on leg ot-Which is nited to the leg. of theang 11 :ifiThe tnack ha unnera l weranail memb and ,3? whic i p c d t om he, angl 1415 porting standard at The bearing blocks to:

by bars 3 and 3 to provide-sloganqe;tor the Y flanged wh els 9 and A ofthe elem n of shea ed: a fram w rk Sama -t ng the rackharsare sta d r shape :irhic m yb re yipr cure i-a ass mb to f m a rigid accurate bed 01 hetta'cfkahd sun .ort ii for the members acting upon the gag. v

ugh a con ruction r 'ec nomlca l an n en en employed if desiredf; v V

T e car iage .2 eemp ises a 1 liflm i l Q arm of a P a e Q*-Wh @1il i sanp r n Wheels Qfl d 1 are, ttached-- ,The va ou parts of th rgr ppingmfiehenisma Se u t the nam 8 yb a ke-t T Th gas u in and controlling portions areseoured to the frame 8 by'bolts 5"? and 1579153 which the-gag guide blocks are attached, allot the V-mechamsm on top of the carriagebeingsecuned to the-gag guide blocks. 5

Spacing. the gripping 1 a dis tance from thecarriage permits gripping shapes or w de flanged, 1eces,such as;channels or'ZYbar s without t e carriageinterfering withthe materialigripl jed- Although I have describ dmy spaoin g ma chine ,as having :aicarriage movable bythe material being spaced the operator pushing the carriage alongthe track, as required; it will be imderstoodthat the mac 1ine=may'be operatedjustas efliciently by moving vthe ma;

terial to be operated upon' by maohianery or automatic feed ng meansbetweol su cessive operatlons of the machine ztoolflused in coin although ther ypes at fnameive k m ybe nection withthe spacing machine; Whether wai ed v ysih' sthe Pcs-. wh a feeding mechan sm: s immaterial so far as r the .operationzof the spacing machine is concerned. :The. improved materialsupporting device whi'chI emplcy makes, even compara,--

tiyely heavy shapes easily movable by hand by the (operator of the machine tool so that the spacing machine is a complete unit-in itself withthe supporting rolls, and no teeding device is ordinarily required withinithflim itsioi' the machine. llhe machine is partic-l V ularly adapted for comparatively light work operation, althoughheavier shapes may be operated .upongit the ca riage and; stops are made-correspondingly -strong--to"-'endure the repeated shocks encountered thezoperation otthe-Inachine, I

. hile I have illustrated and described the present preferred embodiment-of my-invention,- it will be understoodthat the invention is not m ted thereto, but tha t e nv n ion.

I -by reason'of its simplicity and-rapidity.of i

may be otherwise er'nbodied within the scope of the following claimsnl tween, a springfor holding the movable jaw closed upon the material, and controlled meansfor biasing the spring to close the movable jaw against-the fixed jaw.

3. In a spacing machine, a pivoted and a fixed jaw adapted to hold material therebetween, a spring for urging the pivoted jaw against the fixed aw, means maintaining the spring underload, and means for transferring the spring load to the pivoted jaw.

4. In a'spacing machine, jaws adapted to hold material therebetwcen, a spring, means maintaining the spring under load, and means for transferring the spring load to a jaw, said transferring means including a cam interposed betweenthe spring and the jaws, rotation of the cam causing variations in its efi ective length, transferring the spring load to a jaw; 'f 5. In a spacing machine, jaws adapted'to hold material therebetween, means for closing the jaws comprising a cam surface, and a cam follower adapted to ride-"the cam surface and move one jaw relative to the other, .a' link for moving the cam follower, resilient means operable upon the link to hold the cam follower in operative position maintaining the jaws closed, and means interposed between the resilient holding means and thelink for rendering the resilient means operativeor inoperative upon the link: c 6; In a spacing machine, a track, a carriage movable along the track, :stop s at -predetermined intervals along the track, agag on the carriage adaptedto engage the stops and stop the carriage at predetermined intervals, means normally urging the gag into stop engaging position, "means for automatically disengaging the gag from: successive stops, and means for locking the gag out of stop engaging position during the return travel of the carriage after a' spacing operation.

. 7. In a spacing-machine, a carriagc'movable 55,

alonga track, a stop along the'track, a on the carnage movable into and out of alignment with the stop, means normally urging the gag nto stop engaging position, a loclnng 6 pin for holding the gag out of stop-engaging position, said locking pin being movable into or out of locking position, and means 'eiiective at different positions of the carriage for moving said locking pin. V

8; In a spacing machine,a carriage movable along a track, a gag adapted to engage ment of the gag with'the stop whereby the stops'disposed alongthetrack,aspring normally urging .the gag [into stop engaging position, alocking pinfor holding the gag out p of stop engaging position, a stud on the gag engageable by the locking pin, a slide bar carryingthe locking pin whereby the pin is mov-' able into and out of cooperative relationship with the stud, said locking pin being efliec-g tivefor holding thestud against movement ina direction toward stop' engaging position of the gag, and means for moving the slide 9. Ina spacing machine, agag, adapted" to engage a stop, a spring normally urging the gag into stop engaging position, guide blocksholding the gag substantially ztransversely of the carriage when the gag contacts with a stop,-and a spring throwing the gag out of transverse position upon disengageend of the gag is displaced from the working face of the stop 7 and reengagementfof the I gag with the same stop is prevented 10. In aspacing machine,a carriage, a stop for positioning the carriage, a gag on the carriage and movabletransversely of the'direction of movement of the carriage for engagement with the stop, means for moving the gag out of engagement with the stop, and means effective upon such movement for advancing the past the stop independently of the carr age. f I 11. In a spacing machine, a plurality of substantially parallel walls forming a groove, astop in'sertable in-the groove, and means comprising an arm hinged on the stop for exertingpressure on the walls of the groove. l2-. For use with a spacing machine having a rack bar, a stop'ior engaging the rack bar, and me'ansfor holding-the stop in engage- 1 5 ment with the rack bar, said holding means including an arm hinged-to the stop and a set screw for moving the arm about the pivot point, thereby increasingfthe effective thickness of the stop in the direction perpendicular 11 to therack bar engaging portion.

' 13. For use with a spacing machine having a rack bar, a stop having teeth, and'means for holding theteeth in cooperative'engagement "with therackbar," said holding means including anarm hinged to the stop and a set screw for moving the arm about the pivot point,'thereby increasing the eifective thickness of the stop in the direction of the depth of the teeth; q r

14; In a spacing machine, a carriage movable along a' track, a gag onthef carriage adapted to engage stops whereby-the carriage is stopped at predetermined intervals along the track, spring means on the carriage normally-urging the'gag'into stop engaging position, means along thetrack for periodically moving 'the gag out ofengagin'g position, means on the carriage. for locking the gag out of stop engaging position during the return surface spaced from the rack bar, said stopv travel of the carriage after a spacing opera tion, and means for rendering said locking means inoperative during thespacing operation wherebythe means urging the gag into stop engaging position is rendered operative;

15. A stop for use in a spacing machine in cooperation with'a rack bar and a backing having teeth for cooperation with the rack bar, and an arm adapted to engage the backing surface, said stop having an engag ng face for' determining the position of the carriage of the spacing machine, the face extending above the rack bar and being substantially perpendicular thereto, the stop being chamfered from the face on the toothed side of the stop. I

16. In a spacing machine, a track, a car- 6 riage movable along the track, a. plurality of stops adjacent the track, a gag on the carriage adapted to engage the stops, means for look,- ing the gag out of stop engaging position when the carriage is moving in one direction along the track, and means for releasing the gag locking means when the carriage has reached the end of its travel, said gag locking means including a locking pin carried by a slide bar whereby the pin is'movable into and out of locking position, anddogs for moving the slide bar, the dogs being operable by trip pers disposed atthe extremities of the travel of the carriage, one of said trippers being adaptedto move the slide bar and place the locking pin in looking position, and the other of said trippers being effective for moving the slide bar and rendering the locking pin inoperative.

17. In a spacing machine, a carriage movable alon a track, a stop along the track, a gag movalole into and out of alignment with the stop, means normally urging the gag into stop engaging position, a locking pin for holding the gag out of stop engaging pos1 tion, said locking pin being movable into and,

out of locking position, trippers disposed at the extrernities'of travel of the carriage for throwing the locking pin into and out of looking position. i 1

18. In a spacing machine, a carriage movable along a track, a stop along the track, a gag movable into and out of alignment with the stop, means normally urging the gag into stop engaging position, a 7 locking pin for holding the gag out of stop engagingposition,

means for moving said locking pin into and out of locking position comprlsin a plurality of dogs and a spring pressed togg e, and tripping means disposed at the extremities of travel of the carriage for engaging said dogs 7 I and for throwlng the locklng pin 1nto and out of locking position.

19. Material supporting means fora spacing machine comprising a plurality of rolls,

standards for supporting said rolls, said standards having a plurality of roll supportingbearings at different *roll heights, and

means for simultaneously changing the positions of the standards. a V

20.Material supporting means'fora spacing machinecomprising a plurality of'rolls,

standards vfor supportin said roll-s, said standards having a plurality of roll supporting bearings at different heights, and'means comprising apluralityof simultaneously aotuated bell cranks for changing the positions of the standards. s

21.. A stop for use-in a spacing machine in cooperation with a rack bar and a backing I about their pivotal mountings, each .of said 7 plates having a plurality of roll supporting means. j

23. A roll structure comprising a r-oll, and

pivotally mounted supporting plates at op posite ends of said roll for varying the posi tion of the roll by the rotation of said plates about their pivotal mountings, each of said plates having a plurality of roll engaging notches disposed about the periphery thereof. I g

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set JAMES A. MOORE; I

my hand. i 

